La Stoppa Trebbiolo Vino Rosso 2022

Country: Italy

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Barbera/Croatina

La Stoppa was founded over a century ago in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. The estate's vineyards stretch along the Trebbiola Valley, not far from the Trebbia river in the province of Piacenza. The estate covers 58 hectares, with 30 dedicated to vineyards and the remaining 28 left in their natural state. In the late nineteenth century, lawyer Giancarlo Ageno recognized the potential of the land for winemaking and began producing distinctive wines with names like Bordò, Bordò bianco, and Pinò.

In 1973, the Pantaleoni family acquired La Stoppa, and since the mid-nineties, Elena Pantaleoni has been at the helm of the company, working alongside head winemaker Giulio Armani. The combination of naturally low yields, influenced by the vineyards' age and the unique soil composition, along with the exceptional quality of the grapes, allows La Stoppa to make wines that are a genuine expression of the vineyard, where cultivation practices focus on allowing the plants to thrive naturally, without the use of chemicals. Instead, they rely on sulfur and copper treatments to maintain plant health. Every step of the process is carried out by hand to ensure the highest standards of grape selection. Farming has been certified organic since 2008.

Elena and Giulio's commitment to showcasing the best of their local terroir is reflected in their choice to primarily cultivate Barbera, Bonarda, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Ortrugo, and Trebbiano grape varieties. Vinification takes place in steel and cement tanks, where the freshly destemmed grapes undergo fermentation. They prioritize natural winemaking practices, using indigenous yeasts and avoiding the use of sulfur. Extended maceration periods allow them to extract the full potential of each vintage

For the Trebbiolo, fruit is de-stemmed and fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel with a 20-day skin maceration. The wine is aged in stainless steel; no sulfur is added at any point in the process. Dark purple, with a wild, earthy yeastiness on the nose, hints of vanilla mixed with rustic sweet-leathery notes. Dryish on palate, it's meaty and spicy, with notes of blackberries and myrtle.